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The general perception of an individual in need ranges
from a homeless person to a drug addict. Nothing could
be further from the truth! People who turn to Open Arms
Mission for food and services include everyday
individuals.
• Some are two-income families suddenly reduced to
one income or no income due to loss of work
• Or they are working but struggling to pay bills
and provide food for their families Others are trying to
cope with the break-up of a family or they may be single
parents receiving little or no child support.
• Many are senior citizens having to choose
between buying medication, paying utility bills or
purchasing food
• They are the 1 in 10 residents of Illinois who
are food insecure
• They are your neighbors, co-workers, friends
and, perhaps even, family
Open Arms Mission is the safety net that people from all walks of life rely on
for assistance. Open Arms Mission helps individuals and families in their time
of need by providing food such as meat, bread, milk, vegetables, cereal, canned
goods along with personal hygiene and more.
Open Arms Mission is a non-profit organization that relies on donations from
local churches, schools and businesses, civic organizations, corporate partners,
grants, matching funds and individual giving.
Open Arms Mission exists because of many caring and giving “neighbors” who see a
need and want to make a difference by offering their time and talents! Please
join us in our efforts of “neighbor helping neighbor.”
The Numbers are Staggering!
In 2007 Open Arms Mission distributed 531,954 pounds of food and 9,345 gallons
of milk. Since being established, Open Arms Mission has helped more than 152,000
individuals. That’s enough people to fill three entire major league baseball
stadiums!
Open Arms Mission is one of the largest food pantries in Lake County, assisting
about 250 families each week and are seeing an average of 30 new families each
month. One-third (1/3) of our clients are children younger than age 17.
In 2006 our food pantry supported 31,580 neighbors in need. By the end of
2007 that number had increased to 40,455 (a 28% increase). An additional 30-50%
increase is projected by the end of this year due to the increasing impact of
economic hardships, including:
• Higher fuel prices which are taking a toll on our clients as well as the
Mission. Families have less money available for food because of the high cost of
gasoline, necessary for transportation to and from work. At the grocery stores,
and at the Mission, the price of food is going up due to transportation and
production costs. When these two costs are factored together, the amount of
money available for food is strained even more.
• Like other food
pantries, we are experiencing shortages due to an unusual combination of
factors, including rising demand, tighter inventory controls that are leaving
supermarkets and other retailers with less food to donate, and a sharp drop in
federally distributed farm surpluses.
• The economic squeeze on household budgets has led to a drop in individual
donations and an increase in demand for assistance. It’s not just the homeless
who are hungry, it’s working people desperately trying to make ends meet.
• When simultaneously hit by an increase in demand, the impact of higher costs
of food, and federal reductions, the quantity of products are no longer
available as in the past. According to America’s Second Harvest, which
distributes more than two billion pounds of donated food and grocery products
annually, the shortages at food banks “are the worst the organization has seen
in 26 years.”
Open Arms Mission operates efficiently with labor donated by our friends and
partners. In addition, the Mission partners with organizations that supply food
and staples free or at wholesale rates leveraging monetary donations. Open Arms
Mission can provide nine (9) pounds of food to a family in need with just a
dollar donation.
Click here to read our NEW brochure
Call 847.395.0309 today to learn more about our services and
how you can help
Open Arms Mission.
(Click here for Lake County hunger statistics)
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